IMS

IP Multimedia Subsystem
What is it, and what’s it for?

By Mike Riley, P.E.

Mid-State Consultants, Inc.

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IMS is:
(The technical definition)

IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is an

architectural framework for delivering IP-
based multimedia services. IMS is an open
standards-based, real-time, service oriented
architecture that lets service providers create
systems from standard, IT building blocks.

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In other words, IMS is:
1. A method to coordinate and deliver services across platforms
The service is independent of the network.
[Roughly similar to how the Java programming language
works on essentially any operating system.]

2. A system and procedure more than a protocol suite?

IMS defines how service requests are routed, how charging is
performed, and how the service is enabled.

3. A framework for control – and billing.

4. One more grand vision that won’t really happen?

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IMS is not:
A replacement for your basic network electronics
or protocols
although it may speed up your decisions to
replace some of your equipment and protocols
and control methods …

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 Why IMS?
• A common control and application layer, access-
aware, means the service can automatically adapt
to the capabilities of the network and end device.

• One customer database.

• One billing system(?)

• The application can have the same ‘look and feel’

across networks.
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 So…What’s the point for a telco?
In comparison to AIN and existing options, IMS
gives choices back to the service provider:

“Service providers… can now hunt for best-

of-breed network elements … and not be at
the mercy of [a switch vendor.]”
Osman Duman, SVP and CMO of Utilicom

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 History
IMS was originally designed by the wireless
standards body 3rd Generation Partnership Project
(3GPP), and was part of a vision for evolving mobile
networks beyond GSM.

Its original formulation (3GPP R5) represented an

approach to delivering "Internet services" over GPRS.
This vision was later updated by 3GPP, 3GPP2 and
TISPAN and requires support for other networks.

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 Quotes
• “By decoupling and modularizing everything… re-
using network resources … and controlling the
whole shebang with software … network
operators and even third party developers
adopting IMS should both easily and quickly be
able to hatch as many new services as they can
possibly think up, then try them on their
customers.”

• “one has to pay a lot to achieve simplicity.”

“The Further Adventures of IMS,” by Richard “Zippy” Grigonis, Internet Telephony, March
2008, p.62
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 What about the Network itself?
The network point of view for IMS
“Network is Infinite”
“Network performance is poor”
“Network is Intelligent”
Slide elements and idea originally created by Juniper Networks. Used with permission.
ƒ If the Bandwidth is infinite:
ƒ The application has full bandwidth and
the user experience will be perfect
ƒ Synchronization + collaboration are
unnecessary
ƒ If network performance is poor (or bandwidth
is limited):
ƒ Buffer via a hard drive at the user location?
ƒ Quality is assured locally, via dedicated control
software
ƒ If the network is intelligent:
ƒ IMS makes a special request of the network
for the application
ƒ The user’s experience for the application is
assured via the IMS transaction
 An Intelligent Network needs more info
Especially to deliver services across more than one network

• Need to know to whom you are delivering a service

– If it is an external application, need to agree on
“who” the user is.
AAA
• Need to know “what” service you are delivering
– The application can vary per user (subscription,
profile, request).

• Goal is to create a real-time SLA between the

application and the user – “when”
Policy Server
– Requires signaling to allow for feedback.

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 IMS Architecture Model
A layered architectural framework for
an intelligent network
delivering IP multimedia services.

Application Layer Application Layer: Made up of

(or service layer) content or application servers

Session Layer Session /Control Layer: Manages

call (or session) set-up,
(or Control Layer) modification and billing
Transport Layer Transport Layer: The routers,
switches and access elements

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 The Layers in your network
– The Transport Layer – your existing network(?)
and any network that can connect to the control
layer and the service layer (IP via DSL, FTTP,
cellular, other wireless, etc).

– The Control Layer – sort of like SIP + SS7(?)

Controls (and bills) for connecting the network
to the subscriber and to applications.

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 The Application Layer

• For an example of why the IMS application

layer would be a benefit, how many servers are
attached to your soft switch? How many
element management systems? In theory, if the
applications were IMS-enabled you would only
need one management system (and might be
able to use ‘virtual’ servers).

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 One More Point of View…
• IMS will transform the service provider’s business
model from being connection-based, where the
emphasis is on delivering a complete vertical service
to a device, to a model that is subscriber-based, where
services are delivered to a subscriber on any device or
access type. This allows the service provider to
complete on services, not price.
• Applications have the same look and feel regardless of
how they are connected to the network.
From a Nortel Networks IMS whitepaper

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THE TECHNICAL PART
Just Kidding!

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 THE REALLY TECHNICAL PART

Service Applications & Content

Common support functions

ISC

Control & Diameter SIP

Connectivity ISUP
HSS CSCF MGCF
PSTN
PSTN

SIP
TDM
RTP
IP Backbone
MGW

Signaling

Access Fixed Cable Wireless Mobile Media

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 Definitions
• CSCF = Call Session Control Function
– CSCF provides session control for terminals
and applications using the IMS network. This
includes routing of SIP messages, monitoring
of SIP sessions, and communicating with policy
architecture for authorization.

• IMS applications are executed in SIP application

server(s). Apps from separate servers can be
combined into a unified service.

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• HSS = Home Subscription Server
– or User Profile Server Function (UPSF), is a
master user database that contains the
subscription-related information (user profiles),
performs authentication and authorization of the
user, and can provide information about the user's
physical location. It is similar to the GSM Home
Location Register.
– DIAMETER is the protocol for AAA
(Accounting, Authentication, Authorization).
Developed from RADIUS (Remote
Authentication Dial In User Service) protocol.

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• S-CSCF = “Serving” CSCF
– A stateful SIP server
– The central node of the signaling plane. It is a
SIP server, but performs session control too. It
is always located in the home network. It uses
Diameter Cx and Dx interfaces to the HSS to
download and upload user profiles — it has no
local storage of the user. All necessary
information is loaded from the HSS.

• I-CSCF = “Interrogation” CSCF

– Finds the appropriate S-CSCF
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•P-CSCF = “Proxy” CSCF
-Access network entry point. Sits on the path
of all signaling messages, establishes an IPsec
security association, may include a Policy
Decision Function (PDF generates charging
records).

-An SBC (Session Border Controller) can implement

the P-CSCF and policy enforcement. An SBC can
manage IMS sessions to ensure security, QoS, SLAs,
and NAT / Firewall transversal for real time streams.

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•MGCF = Media Gateway Control Function
-Controls traffic between networks, especially
between TDM & IP. Interacts with SIP for call
and session control.
-An MG (Media Gateway) provides the actual
interface including RTP / UDP / IP to TDM and
transcoding.

• BGCF = Breakout Gateway Control Function

Determines how to route to the PSTN.

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 Examples:
NEC uses IMS for Video

…Japanese vendor NEC announced the launch of its

IPTV business… [which] targets carriers using an
IMS architecture.

“… our direction is to see IPTV services placed on

top of IMS core networks … to give them some
flexibility and also some strong features.”
“NEC brings IPTV over IMS,” by Sarah Reedy, Telephony Online, Mar 11, 2008.

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 Vendor / Service Examples
• The Covergence Session Manager is an SBC (session
border controller) that combines traditional SBC
functionality with security, management and control
capability for VoIP and other real-time services.

“The softswitch is really an application delivery platform for

delivering and controlling voice.”
Ken Kuenzel, Covergence CTO and VP of Engineering

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Covergence, Inc. Session Manager
Simplifies Voice and Drives Down Costs

It enables the enterprise to:

Consolidate Applications: There are too many platforms
doing fundamentally the same thing. Voice applications
become network services accessible to any authorized user
or application
Provide Common Routing Policy: Moves the application
routing into a common SOA-based infrastructure.
Currently routing is controlled by each application which is
hard to manage and expensive to resource.
Provide a Common Policy Framework: Apply the correct
policy and controls across real-time applications to ensure
compliance with security, regulatory and business
requirements.
Integrate Traffic onto the WAN: Drive OPEX cost down
by using the internal network where possible to achieve
least cost routing and trunk via IP with traditional carriers
when needed.
Integrate Voice into Applications: Leverage the voice
infrastructure by connecting productivity applications
directly to the network.

Slide originally created by Covergence, Inc. Used with permission. 24

 Covergence Uniform Policy Enforcement

Global Company ABC Security Policy

Is this session allowed on the network?
Country A Country B
Does this session require unique security treatment?

Routing Policy
Is my network performing optimally?
Are outbound calls being routed over least cost routes?

Control Policy
Am I delivering the required quality to meet the SLAs?
Country C
Is this session entitled to use the requested service?

Monitoring Policy
Are we capturing the information for traffic engineering?
Are we in compliance with our regulatory requirements?
Country D
Interoperability Policy
Covergence Policy Enforcement Point Is protocol repair required for this session?
Is presence mapping required for this session?

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Slide originally created by Covergence, Inc. Used with permission.
 Another existing application

Embarq used the [NewStep Networks Converged

Services Node] to … enable users to have a
single phone number for numerous phones and
services… and easily switch calls from wireless
to WiFi.
“The Further Adventures of IMS,” by Richard “Zippy” Grigonis, Internet
Telephony, March 2008, p.62

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 Migration and Recommendations
•Deploy new (IMS-based) hardware for new services?
•Slowly migrate away from your existing hardware, or
insert mediation devices.

“As [the carriers] embark on their IMS migrations, there will be

several paths open to them, including evolutions starting from
the softswitch, signaling layer or service mediation…”
“State of the IMS Plugfest and Certification,” by Michael Khalilian, IMS Magazine, February 2008.

•No big cutover event

•No major forklift upgrades

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 Alternatives?

• SIGTRAN uses the Stream Control Transmission

Protocol (SCTP) to provide the same application
and call management paradigms as SS7, over IP
networks.
• SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) and SaaS
(Software as a Service) could capture a lot of
subscribers without specific IMS compatibility,
but the applications should ultimately fit into IMS-
enabled networks.

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 Remember:
“IMS comes from a standards
body, and IMS is here to help.”

Mike Riley, P.E.

VP of Engineering
Mid-State Consultants, Inc.
435-623-8601
www.mscon.com
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